On Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 6:04 a.m. a Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted a traffic stop on a blue 2007 Chevy Silverado truck after observing the driver commit several traffic violations. The deputy also discovered during the registration check, the vehicle was reported stolen. When the deputy activated his red and blue emergency lights, the vehicle fled from him at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle was pursued from the area of Ocotillo and Gantzel roads to its stopping point near Arizona Farms and the railroad tracks by Mitchell Rd.
The vehicle stopped after deputies attempted to deploy stops sticks and the driver made an evasive maneuver to avoid the stops sticks. The maneuver caused the driver to lose control and drive into an irrigation ditch.
Sheriff Paul Babeu stated, “The suspect driver ran on foot into a farm field as deputies gave chase. The driver later identified as Steven Mullenax (age 32) when caught, he resisted arrest and fought with deputies before he could be handcuffed. The female passenger who was later identified as Laura Stricker (age 29) stayed in the vehicle after it crashed. She was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody.”
Stricker told deputies, she and Steven Mullenax were boyfriend and girlfriend. She said she was sleeping in the vehicle because she had smoked “Meth” earlier and was tired. Stricker said Mullenax woke her up when deputies were behind him. She told deputies she knew the vehicle was stolen.
Sheriff Babeu continued, “Mullenaux was booked into the the Pinal County Sheriff’s Jail for the Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Prescription Medication without a Prescription.”